An Unusual Mission
by Roeskva
Summary: The Romulan Commander is assigned to patrol the Federation Neutral Zone, but en-route she receives orders to check on a colony that the empire has lost contact with.


**Title:** An Unusual Mission  
><strong>Fandom:<strong> Star Trek: TOS  
><strong>Category:<strong> Drama, adventure - and I guess also sort of slice-of-life  
><strong>Rating:<strong> PG-13  
><strong>Characters:<strong> Romulan Commander, Tal, others  
><strong>Pairing:<strong> None  
><strong>Warnings:<strong> None  
><strong>Summary:<strong> The Romulan Commander is assigned to patrol the Federation Neutral Zone, but en-route she receives orders to check on a colony that the empire has lost contact with.  
><strong>Notes:<strong> I have not been able to find a canon name for the Romulan Commander from the episode "the Enterprise Incident". I use the name Waneti Da'ewal for her.

Written for Merfilly for Rare Characters Exchange 2014, on Livejournal.

* * *

><p>Sub-commander Tal approached his Commander as soon as she left the briefing room.<p>

"How did it go, Commander?" he asked.

"I have been given command of the _Tafar_ and two other ships, all equipped with the new, improved cloaking device," Waneti Da'ewal said, looking very pleased.

A proud expression crossed Tal's face. "Congratulations. It is a great honour - for all of us!"

"Indeed." Her attention drifted as the admirals she had just talked to left the office and crossed the hall. "You will report to the _Tafar_ tomorrow at sunrise. Make sure the first shift run a full diagnostic. We are expected to leave at noon. _Dismissed_."

Tal bowed his head, acknowledging the order. "Yes, Commander."

Waneti hurried after the admirals. There would be a banquet in the Imperial Ballroom, and with her new position, she was expected to attend. Admirals, Commanders, Senators, and various other civil and military leaders would be present. It would be a good opportunity for her to make diplomatic connections that could prove useful later in her career.

Of course, there would also be Tal Shiar operatives present, so she had to watch what she said, but all Romulans were used to that.

She smoothed out a few imaginary wrinkles in her uniform and checked that her medal of distinction was properly placed, before slowing her steps to a more dignified speed as she entered the ballroom.

* * *

><p>It was past midnight when Waneti returned to her quarters, reflecting over what had happened during the evening.<p>

Sometimes the intrigue that was always going on in Romulan politics tired her, particularly when it spilled over into the military. With the role Tal Shiar played, it could not be any other way, she supposed, but she was a person of action and not subterfuge. She _really_ looked forward to being out among the stars again, this time commanding her three-ship squadron.

Of course, it was no secret that Romulan politics was part of life on the starships as well. It was common for ships to have an intelligence officer, and if no one openly served in that position, you could be sure Tal Shiar had a hidden operative somewhere.

Her ships were some of the first that had been equipped with the new, improved cloaking devices, which could currently not be tracked in any way. Her orders were to patrol along the Federation Neutral Zone, an extremely important, dangerous assignement, given only to the most competent and trusted of officers.

She held no illusions that there would be no Tal Shiar agents on her ship, though, and one of the Senators she had spoken to had warned her of just that. Presumably he hoped she would support him when or _if_ she became famous. She had already won a few distinctions, and was considered one of the rising stars of the Romulan empire. This mission was likely to further that even more.

Waneti cared little about fame, but with fame usually came power and promotion, and she _did_ care about those.

She locked the door to her quarters and threw her clothes on a chair, before walking into the bathroom and turning the shower on hot. Stepping into the spray, she decided she would keep a careful eye on the man that had been pointed out to her as a Tal Shiar operative - a Centurion named Verok, who would be her Weapon's Officer. Played right, his presence on her ship might even be an advantage.

She smiled to herself, looking forward to starting the mission.

* * *

><p>"What are our orders, Commander?" Tal asked when Waneti had sat down in the command chair.<p>

"We are assigned patrol duty of the territory between Avrol, Nimak, and the Federation Neutral Zone." Waneti studied Tal and her other officers. An apprehensive look passed over their faces. She smiled and nodded. "Yes, it is a dangerous mission, but it is also very important. An assignment that shows the confidence our leaders have in us! We will not fail them. _You_ will not fail _me_!"

"We are all honoured to be part of this mission," Centurion Verok said.

Waneti nodded, giving the man that would be her Weapon's Officer a thoughtful look. A man she had been told was also a Tal Shiar agent.

"Good." She turned to the navigator - a woman with unusual, very red hair. "Set course for the outpost at Avrol four."

* * *

><p>"Commander, we are receiving a communication on channel four. Priority one blue."<p>

Waneti swivels her chair to look at her Communications Officer, a young thin man named S'kor. She rose. "I will take it in my private office."

"Yes, Commander."

She walked in a brisk speed to her office, closed the door behind her, and pressed the button to accept the communication.

"This is Commander Da'ewal." She looked at the screen as the image of a middle-aged male in a uniform of the Romulan Fleet appeared. His breast was covered with distinctions. She recognized him as Admiral Nalor. She bowed her head in greeting. "Admiral."

"Commander. I have new orders for you."

"We are no longer on patrol duty of the Federation Neutral Zone?" Waneti asked, realizing immediately the error of questioning the order.

Nalor raised an eyebrow, but did not deign to comment. "You will proceed immediately to the Ra'ona system. We have lost contact with the settlers there. Investigate and report immediately."

"Yes, sir," Waneti said, relieved he had ignored her outburst.

"You are dismissed."

Waneti placed her right fist against the left side of her chest in the Romulan salute, then signed off.

* * *

><p>"No response from the planet, Commander," S'kor said.<p>

"Try contacting them again," Waneti ordered.

"Still no response," S'kor told her.

"Ti'lar. Scan the planet. Could there be some sort of interference?" Waneti asked.

The Science Officer pressed several buttons, then moved two sliders before checking her displays. "The atmospheric readings are normal. No unusual output from the planet's sun."

Waneti sighed. This meant there were probably no natural cause for the lack of response from the planet below. That left disease, outside attack, trouble with the indigenous population, and outright disobedience. She did not know what would be worst. "Any signs of attack?"

"Nothing visible from orbit," Ti'lar answered.

"No ships were detected in the vicinity of the planet when we arrived," Tal supplied.

"Refresh my memory... the planet has a native population, aside from our settlers, is that not correct?" Waneti wondered.

"Yes. The Tiki-tels. A species of humanoids, fairly primitive. They were deemed harmless in the original survey," Tal said.

Waneti nodded, pleased that her second in command clearly had done his homework and checked up on the planet they were going to. "I remember now. They were relocated to the southern continent and should not be a concern."

"Forgive me, Commander, but that assessment may be in error," Verok said, taking a few steps closer to Waneti's chair. She mused that he had a strangely cold expression. "I ask permission to lead a party down to the settlement."

"Do so. Tal, you will accompany him."

"Yes, Commander."

Waneti looked after them as they left the bridge. She had a bad feeling about this mission - and about Verok. The man was polite enough, but he always made her uneasy. It was as if he was just waiting to find fault with her, her crew, or right now, the settlers on the planet below.

* * *

><p>"Commander, a transmission is coming through from the planet below. It is Sub-Commander Tal," S'kor said.<p>

"Accept the transmission," Waneti ordered. She waited as S'kor made the connection. "Tal? Report."

"Commander. The settlement.." the signal crackled, "...attacked and overrun by natives of this world, and we cannot currently access it. We have made contact with a small group of Romulans..." the signal faded out for a moment, "...have reported that the few survivors from the settlement are currently hiding in the caves of the large mountain range south of our location."

Waneti controlled her reaction. This was _exactly_ what she had worried about! "How many natives and how well are they armed?"

"The information is... somewhat lacking," Tal admitted. The signal crackled again, "...fifty people, probably. They do not appear to be very well armed. Some sort of... slings, if I understand correctly..." the rest of the sentence was lost in static. "...ans spears. I do..."

"Clear up that signal, S'kor!" Waneti ordered.

"I am _trying_. There is some sort of interference," S'kor said, frantically working at his desk. "I believe it is... somewhat better now."

Waneti gave him an unhappy look. "Tal, slings and spears? How can fifty people with _slings and spears_ conquer a Romulan settlement?"

"My thoughts exactly," Verok's voice came from the comm. "It is my belief that cowardice or treason - or more likely both - are involved."

"Treason? That is a serious accusation. Explain!" Waneti demanded, annoyed that Verok was speaking without being asked.

"Due to the presence of dangerous predators..." the signal almost disappeared again, then came back, "...was protected by a force shield fence. A large percentage of the two thousand settlers had received defensive training, and enough disruptors..." then more static, "...arm them all," Verok said. "In addition, all the leaders of the settlement are gone. Possibly defected."

"Defected?" Waneti sighed. He was correct. There was no way a small band of natives armed with slings should have been able to overwhelm the settlement. Not without help. The disappearance of the local Romulan leaders was suspicious too. "Agreed. We need to discuss this. Transport back to the ship immediately."

* * *

><p>After debriefing Tal and Verok, Waneti had contacted her superiors and reported what had been found. Unsurprisingly, she had been ordered to retake the settlement from the natives and find out of any of the suspected traitors among the Romulans were still alive.<p>

"Tal, you are in charge of group A. Verok leads group B," Waneti said. "Group C, you will follow me." She turned around and left the large room she had briefed them in, and lead her group to the transportation station.

"Yes, Commander," Tal and Verok both answered at the same time.

Tal had reminded her earlier that the Commander of the ship should not put him- or herself in danger by transporting down in a situation such as this, but that could not be helped. She would _not_ leave this to her subordinates, and besides, they had all been implanted with subcutaneous transponders, so the transportation beams could lock onto them and get them out of there, even if they lost their communication devices or were incapacitated.

The three groups transported down to the planet in several rounds, and met up in prearranged spots. The city where the Romulan settlers had lived was no longer surrounded by the electronic fence, but a low wall had been erected. It had three entrances, which strangely appeared lightly guarded. One group of Romulans would attack through each of these, and should have an easy time conquering the natives.

_Should_ have being the operative word. Waneti again got that uneasy feeling from before. Something was not quite as it seemed. Even with the electronic fence down, 50 Tiki-tels armed with slings and sticks should not have been able to take down 2000 Romulans armed with disruptors, even if only maybe half of them had more than basic weapons training.

Her communicator made a sound, and she touched it. "Da'ewa, herel."

"This is Tal. We are in position."

A moment later the communicator sounded again, and this time it was Verok checking in. All groups were ready. Waneti looked a the rapidly darkening sky. It was time. She took a deep breath and ordered the attack.

* * *

><p>Waneti felt strange. The world around her seemed distant, as if she was not quite a part of it. All sounds were muted. She tried to remember what had happened, but did not recall anything after she had given the order to attack.<p>

She realized she was walking, but her body did not respond to her commands, The stirrings of panic did not go far before all suddenly returned to normal. She gasped out loud as sounds and light returned to normal levels, and she again was in control of her body. She almost fell, so sudden was the transition, but she caught herself at the last moment.

Looking around, she saw Tal and Verok looking as disoriented as she felt. Turning around, she spotted four other Romulans, sitting resignedly on a bench placed against the wall.

Waneti noted that it was obviously a holding cell - a _Romulan_ holding cell. She briefly pondered how ironic it was that the natives were using Romulan holding cells for them.

"I am Commander Da'ewal of the Romulan Fleet. Who are you?" Waneti asked.

The four local Romulans all got up fairly quickly. One of them stepped forward, a middle-aged man with a resigned look. "I am Proconsul Awrok."

A young woman stood at attention, placing her right fist against her left upper chest in the Romulan salute. "I am Centurion Rawell, acting military commander of this settlement. Your presence honour us, Commander Da'ewal! We have been waiting for someone from home to arrive."

"Lieutenant Ser'val," a young man said, mimicking Rawell's salute and attitude.

The fourth in the group, a diminutive woman with nervous eyes, bowed lightly. "Chairman Tri'ale. We are the only survivors - as far as we know."

Waneti nodded at them all, then introduced her men. "My second in command, Sub-commander Tal, and my Weapon's Officer, Verok." She studied the four settlers for a moment. "You said you are the survivors. What happened here?" She focused on Rawell. "Centurion. Where are your superiors?"

Rawell straightened. "I believe they - and everyone else - are dead, Commander."

"You _believe_ they are dead?" Waneti raised an eyebrow.

"Yes. They... they would not just have left, but I have not seen any of them after the attack." She swallowed uncomfortably and fidgeted.

Waneti frowned, but decided to leave that for now and try another approach. "Explain what happened during the attack. _How_ were you be overrun? _Why_ did you not contact homeworld?"

Rawell forced herself to be calm. It was obviously an effort. "Almost a fortnight ago, the settlement was attacked without provocation. There was no warning, and we do not know how they came through the forcefield. Commander Jo'al quickly organized the defence, and for a time we were winning. Then..." She hesitated. "I regret that I cannot say with any certainty what happened, but one moment I was defending the Eastern Residential Area, and the next I was here."

"_Here_? In this cell?" Waneti asked.

"_Impossible_! You are lying to hide your incompetence!" Verok exclaimed.

"It is the truth. I swear!" Rawell insisted, getting even paler.

"Lieutenant Ser'val. Can you corroborate?" Waneti asked, ignoring Verok.

The young man nodded nervously. "Yes. The same thing happened to me. I have not seen anyone else from my unit, and have been here since my capture."

"Proconsul? Chairman?" Waneti queried.

"Our experiences were the same, except we were both taken from our homes," Awrok told her.

"Since that is also how we found ourselves here, I have no reason to question the truth in your statements," Waneti said. "Have the natives contacted you or made any demands during the time you have been here?"

"Someone come once a day to bring us food and water, and to empty the... waste bucket." Ser'val swallowed. "They do not talk to us, they only... make it clear to us that we are to move to the far corner of the cell."

"Nothing else?" Waneti asked, frowning.

"Most of them do not speak our language," Ser'val explained.

"Twice Proconsul Awrak and I have been taken to a group that I believe are the leaders," Centurion Rawell said. "They have not introduced themselves as such, though."

"They have made ridiculous demands!" Arwak suddenly exclaimed. "Not only do they insist we give up all claim to this area, but they want us to restore it to it's original condition first! And they _also_ demand a public apology! They are _clearly _insane!"

"That is completely unacceptable!" Verok hissed. "I recommend we attack the natives from orbit and destroy their dwellings on the southern continent, retake this city, and remove this plague from here, _permanently_!"

"There is the small problem of us being imprisoned down here, with no way to communicate with our ship, Centurion," Waneti remarked drily.

"We have the implants," Tal reminded them.

Waneti nodded. "True, we do. However, unless all our men were killed, someone would have reported our disappearance, and we would then _already_ have been transported back to the ship. Most likely something is blocking the signal."

"That is the case. This world has deposits of a mineral that interferes with communication in many places," Awrok told her.

Waneti groaned, wishing someone had thought to inform them of this before they arrived - or that she had given S'kor more time to track down the interference they had noticed in the comm system earlier.

The sound of a door opening could be heard, and they all turned to see who was approaching.

Waneti, Tal, and Verok looked with some surprise at the newcomers. They already knew the Tiki-tels were largely humanoid, but hairier. They had _not_ been prepared for the tall, furry beings that now stood before them.

They were wiry and strong looking, and at least a head taller than the tallest of the Romulans. The fur looked soft and shimmered in a rainbow of colours, with a strong golden tone overlaying it.

The closest of the three Tiki-tels was clearly the leader, and the only one who wore any kind of clothing. It was a brilliant red sash, hanging across from the left shoulder to the hip, where it was tied.

Waneti looked at the being and tried to determine if it was male or female. Before she could make a definite decision, the being spoke with a decidedly feminine voice - and in clear Romulan.

"I am Mrijhk, leader of the third village of the Tiki-tels. These are my guards. You are the leader of these?" She looked at Waneti.

"I am the Commander of the ship orbiting your world." Waneti nodded. "Yes, I am the local representative."

Mrijhk made a slow, undulating movement with her head and neck, which Waneti decided to take as a nod.

"You are called to appear before the..." Mrijhk hesitated, clearly searching for a suitable translation. "Tribunal." She looked at Tal and Verok. "They are your subordinates?"

"Yes," Waneti said.

"They are called as well. Come." She turned to the two others of her kind and said something in the Tiki-tel tongue.

Mrijhk left, and the two guards glared hard at Waneti. She noticed now that they were armed with Romulan disruptors.

"Well, let us see what they want," Waneti told Tal and Verok, before following the two guards.

* * *

><p>Waneti looked around at the large room. She guessed it was the former home of the local Romulan government, but it had clearly been modified. They stood in a large circular open space, with audience standing along the walls, and a raised platform in the middle. On the platform stood a long bench, and before that a lectern.<p>

Waneti, Tal, and Verok were lead to the center, and made clear they were to stand before the raised platform. Then the two guards who had taken them there, left. There were other guards all around them, but they, and the audience in the room, were silent.

After a few moments the large doors opened again and a small procession entered. At the front walked Mrijhk, and with her were two other leaders, or at least Waneti thought they were leaders, as they too wore sashes like the one Mrijhk wore, except one was blue, and one was green. After them walked a Tiki-tel with almost completely golden fur. He - or she - wore a much broader, and multi-coloured, sash. Waneti guessed that it might be the supreme leader of the Tiki-tels - or perhaps it was the judge.

Then came a Tiki-tel carrying a box, and at the end of the group followed four guards, armed with halberds.

The presumed leaders took their places on the platform - with the golden-furred Tiki-tel standing behind the lectern. The guards placed themselves in front of and to the side of the platform. The Tiki-tel with the box took several pieces of parchment and placed on the lectern together with what was obviously writing utensils.

The sound of a horn was heard, and apparently that signalled that the court was in session, because now the golden Tiki-tel started speaking. None of the Romulans understood anything, but after a while the leader/judge became quiet and Mrijhk rose.

"I, Mrijhk, leader of the third village of the Tiki-tels, will translate the barbarian tongue, which gods in their mercy have chosen to give me knowledge of." She was silent for a moment. "Barbarians. You will be judged by our great leader, Sior, who is as famous for his honesty as for his mercy. Be grateful!"

"_We_ are not barbarians! _You _are the barbarians!" Verok exclaimed.

One of the guards hissed something and hit Verok in the side with a halberd, making him stagger.

"Silence!" Mrijhk shouted angrily. "You will only speak when spoken to!" She again calmed down. "Assisting Sior is my honourable fellow leaders, and myself. This is Nril of the second village." The blue-sashed Tiki-tel undulated its head. "And Sarrr of the first village." That was the one with the green sash.

"I think we can take them," Verok suggested in a low voice. "They do not seem well-trained, and none of them have disruptors, only halberds."

The guard hit him again, harder this time. The judge Sior furiously spat something in his own language.

"You were ordered to remain quiet! If you cannot obey, you will be beheaded immediately" Mrijhk translated. "Commander, can you control your subordinates or not?"

"I can. He will remain silent," Waneti said, giving Verok a hard look.

Mrijhk translated for Sior and the other Tiki'tels, then looked to Waneti again. "State your names."

"I am Commander Da'ewal. This is my second in command, Sub-commander Tal, and the other one is my Weapon's Officer, Centurion Verok."

Mrijhk again translated, then listened as Sior spoke, before repeating in Romulan. "Da'ewal, Tal, and Verok. You represent the barbarians who have infested this world, soiled the land of the gods, moved the Tiki-tel from their homelands, and caused a great amount of death and suffering for the Tiki-tel. Are you ready to personally do all that is needed to undo the damage to the land? To remove your people from this world, and to publically apologize to all Tiki-tels?"

Waneti stared at her and Sior for a moment. "You cannot _possibly_ be asking that of me!"

"You are refusing it?" Mrijhk asked.

"I do not have the authority." Waneti hesitated. "However, I will... attempt to put forward your case. It may be possible to find a more hospitable place for your people than the southern continent of this planet."

Verok spoke up as soon as she had said that. "She do not. However, as the representative of Tal Shiar, I _do_! This planet was claimed for Romulus, and we will _never_ give it up!"

"Understood." Mrijhk translated for Sior.

Waneti stared at Verok in disbelief, then looked to the Tiki-tel leaders. "Wait!"

Sior ignored her, and instead spoke quickly.

Mrijhk nodded and repeated what he had said, in Romulan. "You have refused to return our world to us. You have ignored our plea for an apology and for you to repair the damage you have caused! There can be only one sentence. _Death_. It will be carried out at sundown. So spoke the great and merciful judge Sior."

"What?" Waneti exclaimed. "You cannot just execute us without..."

Sior screamed a single word, and Mrijhk translated it. "Death."

The guards fell over the three Romulans, but before anything could happen to them, Waneti, Tal, and Verok found themselves transported away.

Only to reappear onboard the Romulan ship the _Tafar_.

Waneti, Tal, and Verok all let out breaths of relief.

"Good timing, Centurion," Waneti told the woman manning the transportation station. "Have you transported anyone else aboard?"

"No," the Centurion said.

Waneti looked at S'kor who walked into the transporter room to meet them. "Have you been in contact with any of my men?"

"No, Commander. We have been unable to raise anyone, nor are we able to detect the signal of more of the subcutaneous transponders. However, the mountains contain a substance which blocks our transmissions."

"As does the ground across much of that accursed planet!" Waneti sighed. "Do a complete scan of the planet, looking for any Romulan life signs."

"With all due respect, Commander," Verok said, doing his best to keep his voice in control. "Are you just going to let the Tiki-tel get away with murder? They have killed all the settlers, all the men when sent down there - and they were going to kill us too!"

"I am not convinced the settlers - or our soldiers - are dead," Waneti said. "Until I know they are not being imprisoned within the city, I am not going to order an aerial bombardment of it." She continued, her voice growing colder. "As for yourself - you spoke out of order down there, and with a clear lack of understanding of the situation. Did you _try_ to get us killed?"

"I spoke the truth!" Verok defended himself.

Waneti shook her head. Tal Shiar operatives were usually much more intelligent and skilled than this. She suspected he would be recalled as soon as his superiors received her full report. Well, that would be one less problem to worry about, but for now she had to tolerate him.

"Very sensible precaution," Tal agreed. "There could be other Romulan prisoners down there."

"Good. Now get to work. I will be in my office, briefing Admiral Nalor," Waneti said, tiredly.

* * *

><p>"Report!" Waneti ordered, as soon as she walked onto the bridge.<p>

"No sign of any of our people down there," S'kor reported.

"I can confirm that. The only lifesigns we are picking up are those of the Tiki-tel." Tal said.

"What about the small group of Romulans you met when you first transported down?" Waneti asked.

"They do not appear to be down there anymore," Tal told her.

"The interference, perhaps?"

"We are confident we have been able to penetrate it. That is not the reason," Tal said. "Commander, there are no longer any living Romulans down there."

Waneti hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Understood."

"Your orders?" Verok asked.

"Will probably please you. With no sign of any Romulans down there, we are ordered to kill the Tiki-tel. All of them - on the _entire_ planet!"

She had no sooner uttered the words, before all lights went out on the bridge. The emergency lights came on almost immediately, accompanied by the sounds from several stations reporting errors.

Neither Waneti, nor any of the other Romulans, paid much attention to that, though. Their attention was centered on the brightly glowing shape that had appeared on the bridge. Before their eyes, the shape coalesced into three distinct shapes that quickly solidified and became three graceful beings that were obviously reptilian, despite the fact that they were standing on their hindlegs.

"Who are you, and what are you doing on my ship!" Waneti demanded, as soon as she had recovered from the shock.

"We are of the Kwiznik," one of the aliens said, and all three of them bowed their heads. "My name is Ozn'ikl. These are Drilllll and Sak."

"Trust me, we do not enjoy interfering in the affairs of beings on the lower levels, but the Tiki-tel are under our protection, and we cannot allow you to kill them," the one called Sak added.

"They killed the Romulan settlers of this world, as well as my soldiers! Surely you cannot expect me to allow that to go unpunished!" Waneti exclaimed.

"The Tiki-tel are peaceful. They would not have attacked the settlers if they had not been relocated to a place inhospitable to life, a place where they could not survive. A full ten percent of them died before they took this step!" Drilllll said, voice suddenly becoming hard.

"You helped them!" Verok exclaimed. "_That_ is how they could win with their primitive weapons!"

"We taught some of them to speak your language, and they went to beg your settlers for permission to return to the lusher lands further north. The settlers killed them instead of listening!" Drilllll said, suppressed fury in his voice. "And still they did not attack. Not until the deadly cold of the southern winter had decimated them!"

"We will allow you to leave, but from now on _no_ Romulans are welcome on this planet," Sak told them.

"Teaching them how to speak our language does not explain how they could take the city with such primitive weapons. Nor does it explain how Tal, Verok, and I found ourselves in a cell without any memory of being taken there, nor even of meeting the enemy," Waneti pointed out. "What are you hiding?" she demanded.

Ozn'ikl looked somewhat uncomfortable, at least that was how it seemed to Waneti. "Yes, we also chose individuals from the Tiki'tel who had latent telepathic powers. We taught them how to mentally control others. The intention was merely to stop the Romulans settlers from attacking, and making them walk away, forgetting what they had been about to do. A peaceful solution."

Tal snorted. "That is clearly what happened when we ended up in the cell."

"Yes, but what about the other soldiers? The rest of the settlers?" Waneti asked. "Something tells me it did not go as planned."

"An astute observation. The Tiki-tel were not as adequately trained as we thought, and during the initial attack, they could only control those with unusually receptive minds. Like those you met in the cell. Aside from a small group who proved to be completely impervious to control and escaped, the rest... went mad," Ozn'ikl said, apologetically.

"And so your ill-advised meddling caused the death of almost two thousand Romulans!" Verok exclaimed angrily.

"Regrettably we could not save all of them, but the moment we realized what had happened, we intervened. The majority were returned to normal and have been relocated to an uninhabited planet in a neighboring solar system - I see from your minds that you call it 'Khalor'. That is where your soldiers are as well - as were the group of Romulans you met after first transporting down," Ozn'ikl explained. "You now know what happened."

"Neither your kind, nor the Tiki'tel - are ready to interact with each other. Your presence here is not wanted, and you will now leave, not to return," Sak added. "Goodbye."

The aliens began to glow stronger again.

"Wait!" Waneti said. "You are an advanced species. The Romulans are powerful. Together we would be _invincible_."

"_Another_ proof that you are not ready." Ozn'ikl looked sad. "Perhaps in another few millennia."

Before any of the Romulans had time to react, the three Kwiznik glowed brighter again, and became the luminous shape they had been when they arrived. They disappeared from the ship, and Waneti turned to Tal.

"Initiate a wide-area scan! Look for..." She was interrupted when the ship's engines suddenly came alive, and they accelerated quickly out of the system, then went to warp. "Stop the ship!"

"Impossible!" the pilot told her. "I have no control!"

Waneti hit the switch to the communication unit on her chair. "Engineering! Shut down the engines!"

After a few moments a strained voice answered. "I regret that I am unable to follow your orders, Commander. The engines do not respond."

"The two other ships?" Waneti demanded of her navigator.

"Went to warp at the same time as we did."

"Course?"

"The Khalor system."

Waneti hit her fist against the armrest of her chair, then sighed resignedly. The Kwiznik clearly meant what they said - and had the power to back it up. "It would seem we will soon know if our people were actually sent there."

* * *

><p>"What did homeworld say?" Tal asked, somewhat nervously, when Waneti had called him to her private office after reporting to Admiral Nalor.<p>

Waneti rose and went to take two glasses and a bottle of Romulan Ale from a cabinet. "Surprisingly, they are pleased."

"_Pleased_?" Tal repeated, disbelief clear in his voice.

"Yes, I too had feared we would be recalled and reprimanded." Waneti poured Romulan Ale in the two glasses and handed one of them to her second in command. "They consider the mission a success, despite the fact that we lost the colony. I suspect they hope to be able to convince the Kwiznik to share their power and technology. That is not surprising. They have much that would be of interest to both the fleet and the Tal Shiar."

Tal accepted the glass. "I am highly doubtful the Kwiznik will agree to work with _any_ Romulan."

Waneti shrugged. "Very true, but that is not our problem. Most of the settlers were saved, and their new planet is no worse than the one they came from. In any case, we got a commendation. Waneti shook her head, smiling a little. "I will never understand politics, but it seems we were fortunate." She raised her glass. "Let us drink to that."

Tal smiled and raised his glass as well. The both drank.

"I assume we are not going back to the Ra'ona system, then?" he asked.

"No. Someone else will be sent to talk to the Kwiznik, and I must admit I am relieved. We are to continue on to our original mission - patrolling the Federation Neutral Zone."

"Good. That will actually be relaxing compared to what we have just been through." He smiled a little.

"Yes. It is a mission which can bring fortune and power - or death. Let us hope it brings the former. To success!"

"To success."

They both emptied their glasses.

.

THE END.


End file.
